Side frame with separable journal boxes



Dec. 31, 1929. w. F. RICHARDS 3 SIDE FRAME WITH SEPARABIQE JOURNAL BOXES Filed June 1, 1927 Patented Dec. 31, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLARD F. RICHARDS, OF DEPEW, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE SYMINGTON comma, or NEW YORKWN. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND I sIDE FRAME WITH SEPARABLE JOURNAL BOXES Application filed June 1, 1927. Serial No. 195,843.

This invention relates to side frames for railway car trucks and, more particularly, to such frames provided with jaws at either end thereof receiving journal boxes therein.

The principal object of my invention generally considered, is to provide a side rame with two-part journal boxes associated therewith, the upper part of each journal box being received in a jaw portion at an end of the frame and the lower part being resiliently held therebeneath.

An object of my invention is the provision of side frames formed with journal box re ceiving cavities or jaws at either end thereof, said jaws being adapted to receive twopart journal boxes, the upper part of each journal box being snugly contained in the jaw and the lower part being pivotally mounted with respect to the frame at one end, means being provided for resiliently holding the free or swinging side of said lower portion against the upper part thereof;

Another object of my invention is the provision of two-piece journal boxes adapted for connection at the ends of associated side frames, the lower portion of each box being relatively shallow whereby, when in position, it is closely spaced with respect to an associated journal so that the lubricating material therein is held close to said journal thereby properly lubricating the same.

A further object of my invention is the provision of two-piece journal boxes adapted for reception in jaws at each end of associated side frames, each jaw involving ribs preferably formed on the lower section thereof and extending inwardly and downwardly toward an assoclated journal for preventing waste or other lubricating 'material from jamming between the journal and its bearing.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a journal box formed in two parts, the upper part being receivable in a jaw of an associated frame and the lower part being movably mounted on said frame and pressed upwardly against the upper partto constantly hold lubricating material in place against an associated journal regardless of the wear thereof.

50 Other objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particular arrangement and construction of the various parts will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings illustrating my invention, the scope whereof is defined by the. appended claims:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an end portion of a side frame for railway car trucks showing an associated journal box partly in elevation and partly in vertical section.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of that portion of the frame shown in Figure 1, the associated journal being shown partly in elevation and partly in section, a portion of an associated journal being diagrammatically illustrated in dot and dash lines.

Referring to the drawings in detail, like parts being designated by like reference characters,'I have shown a frame 1 which may be of generally conventional construction except that the ends thereof are modified for receiving two-piece journal boxes 2 or such ournal boxes involving upper sections 3 and lower sections 5 The upper portion 3 of each journal box 2 may be of generally conventional interior construction and provided with the usual brass lugs 5. The outer surface of said portion 3 is formed with outstanding ribs or flanges 6 providing a depression or notch 7 therebetween receiving the jaws or depending portions 8 at the corresponding end of the frame. These jaw portions 8 are preferably formed to correspond with the depres sion 7 on the associated box whereby said box is snugly embraced therein. A flange or web 9 is preferably formed between the side walls of the frame 1 providing a pocket 10 adapted to receive resilient means 11 for holding the lower part 4 of the journal box in proper position against the upper part 3. The inner jaw portion 8 of the frame may be rigidified and connected to'the adjacent portion 12 of the tension member by longitudinally extending websvor triangular gusset portions 13. These webs, as in Figure 9 of my copending application Serial Number 168,- 338, filed February 15, 1927, are preferably rovided' with registering apertures receiving a bolt or other pivotal means 14 for movably mounting the lower portion 4 of the journal box 2 with respect to the side frame 1, said pivotal means preferably extending through hinging ears or lugs 15 desirably formed integral with the movable portion of the journal box as illustrated.

The lower portion 4 of the journal box is adapted to telescopically or interlockingly engage the upper portion 3 thereof and, for that purpose, has its side Walls continued so that they normally extend above the lower edge of the side walls of the upper portion 3 and are adapted to engage in pockets 16 formed between the bifurcated lower edges of the upper portion 3 of the box, thereby making atight joint between the two sections to effectively exclude foreign matter. Extending inwardly from the sides of the lower portion 4 of the box are ribs or flanges 17 which preferably continue to almost engage an associated journal 18, diagrammatically illustrated, for preventing waste or other lubrieating material from creeping up around the journal and wedging or jamming between the same and the associated bearin or brass (not shown). These webs or anges 17 preferably slope downwardly to a slight extent, as well as inwardly, as illustrated.

The free or swinging edge ofthe lower portion 4 of the journal box is, in the present embodiment, formed with outstanding lugs or ears 19 perforated for the reception of a bolt or pin 20. Said bolt is adapted for connection with the resilient means 11 herein-. before referred to and particularly the keeper or perforated head portion 21 thereof. Extending upwardly from the keeper portion 21 is a threaded extension or boltportion 22, passing through an a erture in the web 9, surrounded by a pre erably helical spring or other resilient means'23 and supplied with a nut 24 at its upper end. The side walls of the side frame, adjacent the nut 24, are preferably provided with inward extensions 25 which come so close to the nut 24 that they prevent appreciable turning thereof and thereby lock the same in position after assembly. After connecting the bolt 20 with the resilient means 11, the same may be locked in position as by means of a cotter or the like 26.

The journal box 2 is preferablyprovided with a lid 27 which may be of conventional form and close an aperture 28 in the, outer side of the upper section 3 of the journal box. Said lid is illustrated with peripheral flanges 29 extending outside of the edge portions around the a erture 28 for minimizing the entrance of oreign matter therein and is shown pivotally mounted to the upper section 3 of the box by means of a pivot pin 30 passing through a hinge lug 31 on the box and correspondin The lid is deslrably provided with a depending lip 33 for manual operation and may be held a ainst hinging ears 32. on the lid.'

resiliently held in open or closed position by means of a spring 34 riveted at its lower end to the face of the lid and, at its upper end, engaging a cam-shaped portion 35 on the hinge lug 31.

A preferred method of assembling the journal box with the frame i as follows. The

pivot bolt or pin 14 is inserted to mount the lower portion 4 of the box on the frame and permit its movement to operative or inoperative positions. The resilient means 11 is then connected to the frame by first inserting the extension or bolt portion 22 through the apertured web 9 of the frame, applying the spring 23 thereof and the nut 24 thereon, said 'nut being tightened to the requisite degree by turning the keeper or head portion 21 rather than by turning the nut, said nut being held in position between the extensions 25 on the frame. It will be noted that the keeper or head portion 21 is formed with an aperture or eye 36 adjacent its lower end and the free edge of movable portion 4 of the box .is formed with a correspnoding pocket or indentation 37, the purpose of which is to facilitate the insertion of the bolt or pin 20. The movable portion of the box, after filling the same with waste or other lubricating material and placing the upper portion 3 thereof in position between in the corresponding jaw 8 of the frame, is swung to the position indicated in Figure 1 and a bar, piece of pipe or other lever means (not shown) inserted through the aperture 36 into the pocket 37, whereby suflicient leverage is obtained to press the spring 23 until the transverse aperture in the keeper 21 is substantially alined with the corresponding apertures in the ears 19 of the box when the bolt 20 is inserted to the position indicated in Figure 2. After insertion of said bolt, the lever means may be removed releasing the spring 23, whereby the hinge portion 4 of the lid is resiliently the upper portion 3 thereof. The bolt may then be prevented from undesired removalby means of the retaining device 26 hereinbefore referred to.

From a consideration of the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have devised an advantageous side frame and journal box construction which permits entire removal of both upper and lower sections of the box in a convenient manner and, even while the journal is in place, free and visual inspection of the condition thereof -maybe obtained by merely dropping the lower portion of the box.

The construction also permits the quick re-- placement of wheels without dismantling the truck and facilitates the removal of a split brass even though the same maybecome locked or wedged between the journal and box.

In the foregoing construction, the lower half of the box isshallow and preferably substantially normally concentric with the journal, whereby the amount of lubricating material iii is reduced while, at the same time, it is more efliciently used and prevented fromdropping away from the journal. On account of the inwardly extending ribs on the lower section of the box, danger of waste or the like, creeping around the journal and wedging between the same and the brass is obviated. On account of the resilient means holding the lower portion of the box against the upper portion, lubricating material in said box is constantly heid in place against the journal regardless of wear. {in account of the telescoping or interlocking joint between the upper and lower halves of the box, dirt and other foreign material is effectively excluded.

Having now described my! invention, 1 claim:

1. in combination, a side frame having a at each end thereof, journal 'boxes re ceived in said aws, and means for reslllently holding said journal boxes in place.

2. in combination, a side frame recessed at each end thereof, upper sections of journal boxes positioned in said recesses, lower sections disposed therebeneath and means resiliently holding saidlower sections against said upper sections to hold the latter in place with respect to saidframe.

3, in combination, a side frame formed with journal box receiving jaws at each end thereof, journal boxes formed in two parts received in said jaws, the upper parts being embraced hetween the jaws of the frame and held in position by means of the lower parts, said iower parts being movably connected at one end to the frame and forced upwardly by resilient means at the other end thereof.

d. In combination, a side frame formed with downwardly opening jaws at each end thereof, upper sections of journal boxes received in said jaws, lower sections of said boxes each pivotally connected at one end to the frame, and resilient means each connected to the frame at one end and, at the other end, adapted for connection with the free ends of the lower sections of the boxes for resiliently holding said sections in place and presslng the some against the upper sections.

5. in combination, a side frame having a journal box receiving jawat each end there 7 of, journal boxes received in said aws and comprising upper portions snugly fitting therein and lower portions depen 'ng below said jaws and separate from said upper portions, and means for holding said lower portions in place and permitting the same to be swung out of engagement with the upper portions comprising a pintle at one end of each lower portion connecting the same to the frame and resilient means at the other end urging the same upwardly against the upper section of the corresponding box.

6. In combination, a side frame having a jaw at either end thereof, an upper section of a journal box received in each jaw, and a lower section of a box swingingly mounted on an adjacent portion of the frame and adapted to be moved beneath the upper portion of the box or withdrawn therefrom, said lower portion being formed relatively shallow for bringing associated lubricating material close to the cooperating journal, the free end of said lower portion being formed with outstanding ears, resilient means connected to the adjacent portion of the frame and depending between said ears when the lower portion of the box is raised, and connecting means adapted to engage said ears and said resilient means for holding the lower portion of said box resiliently against the upper portion and in proper position with respect to the frame.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

WILLARD F. RICHARDS. 

